Associate Director, SEO Specialists

Job description

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for an Associate Director, SEO Specialists based in the United States.** The Associate Director, SEO Specialists will lead the daily operations of a high-performing SEO team, ensuring consistent execution, technical excellence, and timely delivery across client projects. This leadership role combines team management with hands-on expertise in technical SEO, website launches, migrations, audits, and new business support. You will oversee workloads, establish quality standards, and optimize workflows while partnering closely with teams across development, UX, content, sales, and media. You will also help shape the delivery of SEO services, support client-facing initiatives, and identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency. This is an opportunity to influence SEO strategy and execution while developing talent in a remote-first environment. The ideal candidate brings strong technical knowledge, proven leadership skills, and a passion for continuous improvement. ### Accountabilities: In this role, you will oversee the SEO Specialist team’s day-to-day operations, maintain high delivery standards, and ensure that technical SEO work supports broader client and business objectives. Key responsibilities include: - Lead and manage SEO Specialists and Lead SEO Specialists, overseeing workload distribution, staffing, prioritization, quality assurance, and delivery timelines. - Manage incoming SEO requests from internal teams, ensuring tasks are properly assessed, prioritized, and assigned. - Oversee pre-launch SEO activities for website projects, including technical setup, migration checklists, redirect mapping, and information architecture reviews. - Coordinate pre-launch SEO work with Web, Development, UX, and Project Management teams to ensure accurate and timely delivery. - Lead SEO audits across the department, from scoping and resource allocation to execution and final quality review. - Support sales and new business activities by providing SEO audits, technical scoping, and expertise for client pitches, RFPs, and proposals. - Manage signed SEO service engagements from kickoff through delivery, ensuring scope, resources, timelines, and quality expectations are met. - Partner with the Director of SEO Operations to forecast capacity, plan staffing requirements, manage escalations, and align priorities. - Establish and maintain standard operating procedures and quality assurance processes across specialist work, website launches, audits, and pre-sales engagements. - Act as the escalation point for complex technical SEO challenges and high-priority issues. - Collaborate with SEO Strategists, Content, UX, Development, Sales, and Media teams to align execution with campaign objectives and business goals. - Report on team capacity, task throughput, website launch readiness, audit pipelines, pre-sales activity, and service delivery progress. - Identify process gaps and implement improvements to strengthen workflows, efficiency, and output quality. - Support recruitment, onboarding, mentoring, and professional development for the SEO Specialist team, working with team leads to develop talent. - Keep the team informed about search trends, algorithm updates, AI-powered search behaviors, and evolving technical SEO best practices. - Coordinate short-term SEO projects with internal teams and Sales, including project scoping, client communication, and project management when needed. - Oversee the internal link-building service, managing team resources and maintaining partner databases. - Perform additional duties as assigned. **Requirements:** The successful candidate will combine substantial SEO expertise with proven people-management experience, operational discipline, and the ability to collaborate effectively across departments. The following qualifications and skills are expected: - 5–7+ years of SEO experience, with demonstrated expertise in technical SEO, SEO audits, pre-launch optimization, website migrations, and pre-sales support. - Proven experience managing teams, including team leads or other managers, with the ability to oversee daily operations and maintain performance at scale. - Strong understanding of the full SEO lifecycle, including strategy, execution, quality assurance, reporting, and continuous refinement. - Demonstrated success collaborating with Sales or New Business teams on pitches, proposals, technical scoping, and client opportunities. - Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, competing priorities, deadlines, and cross-functional stakeholders. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence representing SEO expertise in client-facing and pre-sales discussions. - High proficiency with SEO and analytics tools, including Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, Botify or DeepCrawl, SEOClarity or BrightEdge, and comparable platforms. - Advanced spreadsheet skills, including formula creation, data manipulation, and trend analysis. - Working knowledge of HTML, CSS, and common content management systems such as WordPress, Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce. - Experience collaborating with Development, UX, and Project Management teams on website launches and migrations. - Strong organizational, analytical, mentoring, and problem-solving skills, with a commitment to technical quality and process improvement. - Must be located in the United States. - Employment visa sponsorship or transfer of existing sponsorship is not available at this time. **Benefits:** The role offers a remote-first working environment and a benefits package designed to support employees’ professional development, well-being, and long-term growth. - **Salary:** $85,000–$105,000. - **Health insurance:** Healthcare coverage to support employee well-being. - **Retirement savings:** 401(k) and retirement savings options. - **Paid time off:** Generous paid time off. - **Flexible scheduling:** Flexibility to help balance professional and personal commitments. - **Remote-first culture:** Fully remote position for candidates based in the United States. - **Professional development:** Opportunities to develop skills and advance professionally. - **Employee referral program:** Referral opportunities as part of the employee benefits package. - **Growth and development:** A supportive environment focused on career progression, learning, and meaningful contributions.